Well, if your gonna go with a filter I have to recommend the MSR Miniworks filter. Its very easy to use, cleans in the field, and has been very reliable. I also have friends with the Miniworks, and they have not had any problems either. I think it runs about $70. Well thats my 2 cents.

I bought a PUR hiker a few years ago on Backpacker Magazine's recommendation (it was given an Editor's choice award). The thing clogged up quickly, so I go a replacement cartridge, then proceeded to break the pump handle while trying to force a clogged pump to flow. Bought a new unit, clogged it up, replaced it with an MSR miniworks. After a few months of use, I figured I had licked this water filter problem, so I took it with me on my PCT thruhike. It clogged after two weeks of hiking and so I replaced the catridge. This clogged after three weeks and I threw the whole mess in the trash and replaced it with Agua Mira. Another thruhiker had recommended this to me. Simple, effortless, lightweight, tasteless, and effective against everything, I've used Agua Mira ever since and am 100% satisfied.

If you only backpack a few times a year a filter may be ok for you, but once you start getting into being in the outdoors as often as possible, you'll want another solution. In her book on thruhiking, Karen Berger states that water filters are "easy winners in the category of most vilified equipment."

Lizard

"Of course we weren't lost. We were merely where we shouldn't have been, without knowing exactly where that was."

teva wrote:I bought a PUR about three years ago. Basically, just went into REI and said give me the best.

Then a year or two ago I think it was recalled. Guess I should of responded to that friggin recall. Now I have a one pound six point eight ounce toy

There was a problem with the Voyager which was a purfier too. It is still a good filter, you just replace the filter pack with a Hiker unit and then you have to purify it seperately. The original had teh iodine in the filter unit and when it went through the charcol, the iodine was pulled before it killed the remaining bacteria and viruses.

I use SweetWater chlorine treatment. I try to find the clearest water to filter so it will not clog but as Lisard says, they can and do clog.

I'm also recently in the market for a filter. I've not heard of or seen Agua Mira. Any details please? Is it carried somewhere in the valley? I always like to see/touch stuff (especially clothes) first, even if I end up buying catalog. Thanks.

Hooli, let us know what kind of tent you get. Remember those kayaks are for experienced individuals like jeremy or daryl. You and I are just suppose to look. My favorite is to jump in one and yell Yahoo! The over hyper employees all the sudden turn cold on ya

mike t wrote:I'm also recently in the market for a filter. I've not heard of or seen Agua Mira. Any details please? Is it carried somewhere in the valley? I always like to see/touch stuff (especially clothes) first, even if I end up buying catalog. Thanks.

Aqua Mira was not at REI when I looked for it, but it can be found at Popular stores. What it is is chlorine dioxide and an activator. When the two chemicals are mixed together they release oxygen, which kills microorganisms. There are good reviews of Pristine (an identical product marketed in Canada), found at Backpack Gear Test

"Of course we weren't lost. We were merely where we shouldn't have been, without knowing exactly where that was."

Bought the PUR Hiker with my kid's present and got away clean! Only spent $745.68 of my own money :!:
Just kidding ....only spent $45.58 of my own $$$$'s. As long as the stock market has me practicing, just in case, phrases like, "Can I super size that for you?" and "Would you like fries with that?" I'm on an austerity binge.

Looking at buying a water filter in the next week or so. Most of the threads here are a little old, maybe there has been a new model that has come out that works really good. Looking to spend about $100, something that will filter 500 gallons plus before needing a filter change. Easy to unclog out in the field so on and so forth. Any suggestions?

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the road less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
Robert Frost